KEY POINTS:
The All Whites' two-match tour of the Americas later this month will not only provide invaluable games in the leadup to World Cup qualifying but it will also give Ricki Herbert a chance to go on a recruitment drive.
The All Whites boss and A-League coach-in-waiting yesterday announced
his 20-man squad to take on Costa Rica and Venezuela on March 25 and 29 respectively.
The squad was his strongest available, with Ryan Nelsen, Simon Elliott (subject to fitness) and Ivan Vicelich called up, and also contained a number of players he would like to play for New Zealand's A-League side - if the saga is ever successfully resolved.
Vicelich is likely to be at the top of that list. Although the 30-year-old midfielder has a year left on his contract with RKC Waalwijk, they are second-bottom of the Dutch Eredivisie and in danger of being relegated. If they go down, Waalwijk might be prepared to let Vicelich go to reduce their wage bill.
Vicelich was playing it straight yesterday but it's understood a move back to New Zealand would hold great interest.
"It could interest me but at the moment I'm busy trying to win games for my club here," he said from his home in the Netherlands. "I have got another year on my contract here but who knows what the future might hold? I don't really know too much about it but no doubt I will hear all about it when I join up with the All Whites."
Also among the 20-man squad Herbert might want to talk to about playing professionally in New Zealand are Tim Brown, Leo Bertos, David Mulligan, Tony Lochhead, Jeremy Brockie, Jeremy Christie, Mark Paston, Glen Moss, Steven Old, Noah Hickey, Che Bunce and even Danny Hay.
Hay has retained the captaincy but Herbert made it clear this was for continuity reasons and that Nelsen would come back into the reckoning for the European tour in May and June.
All 20 players can expect to be among Herbert's 25-man squad to prepare for the World Cup qualifiers starting in October. James Pritchett, Brent Fisher, James Bannatyne and the injured Chris Killen are likely to join that squad.
Without Killen and Vaughan Coveny, who announced his international retirement on Friday, the All Whites' front line is probably the weakest area.
Herbert is hopeful Brockie will recapture the form that saw him tagged one of the game's hottest young prospects only 12 months ago. Since then, he's left Sydney FC after a disappointing A-League season and he was also poor during New Zealand's successful campaign to qualify for the under-20 World Cup.
Herbert confirmed Brockie would be among his targets if Wellington's bid for an A-League licence gets the green light early next week.
